blog navigation

Water Survey

blog posts

  • Soils Warmer and Drier across Illinois in Mid-June

    Jun 17, 2016 7:45 pm

    Warmer weather has led to warmer and drier soils in Illinois, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

  • Heavy Rains Strike Parts of Illinois in May

    Jun 2, 2016 7:45 pm

    The statewide average precipitation for May was 4.52 inches, just 0.08 inches below normal. However, heavy rains struck parts of Illinois, causing flooding. Some areas received up to 10 inches of precipitation by the end of the month, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel at the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • Thunderstorms Produce Tsunami-like Waves in the Great Lakes

    May 31, 2016 7:00 pm

    Spring and summer storms that create thunder and lightning on land also cause tsunami-like waves on the Great Lakes, bringing water surges onshore and jeopardizing docked boats and beach lovers, according to David Kristovich, head of the Climate and Atmospheric Science section with the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois.

  • Cooler, Wetter Soils in Mid-May

    May 16, 2016 7:00 pm

    Soils were wetter and cooler than average over most of Illinois in mid-May, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

  • Weather was Average for April in Illinois

    May 2, 2016 8:00 pm

    Colder temperatures in the first half of April in Illinois were nearly canceled out by warmer temperatures in the second half of the month, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • New Homeowners' To-Do List Should Include Well Water Testing

    Apr 26, 2016 8:00 pm

    Looking for that special house in the country?  Don't forget to have the well tested to ensure safe drinking water, advises Steve Wilson, groundwater hydrologist at the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • Illinois has Warmer, Drier Soils in Mid-April

    Apr 18, 2016 8:15 pm

    Warmer weather in the second week of April brought warmer and drier soils, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

  • Tenth Warmest March on Record in Illinois

    Apr 6, 2016 10:15 pm

    March 2016 was the 10th warmest March on record with an average temperature of 46.5 degrees, 5.2 degrees above normal. Illinois was not alone; essentially the entire US was warmer than normal in March, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • Illinois State Water Survey and the U.S. Geological Survey drill new deep sandstone monitoring well in Kendall County

    Mar 22, 2016 10:15 pm

    The Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) completed drilling of a new deep sandstone monitoring well in December 2015. The monitoring well is located in Kendall County, southeast of the town of Newark, IL. The 1,180 feet deep borehole has two nested wells, one which is open to the St. Peter Sandstone and one that is open to the deeper Ironton-Galesville Sandstone. The wells will monitor changing groundwater levels in these aquifers, which are an important source of groundwater for municipal and industrial needs.

  • Illinois Soils Warm Over the First Half of March

    Mar 18, 2016 10:30 pm

    Soil temperatures increased through the first half of March, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

  • Illinois State Water Survey to Study Nippersink Creek

    Mar 15, 2016 10:30 pm

    The Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) announced today that new hydrologic and hydraulic modeling of Nippersink Creek will be performed in partnership with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources-Office of Water Resources (IDNR-OWR) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The study will help local communities to identify areas of high flood risk along Nippersink Creek for flood mitigation planning.

  • February in Illinois was Slightly Warmer than Normal

    Mar 1, 2016 10:30 pm

    The Illinois temperature for February was 33.2 degrees, 2.3 degrees above average, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • Soils Warmer than Average across Illinois this Winter

    Feb 22, 2016 10:30 pm

    Soil temperatures in Illinois have been above normal for most of the winter, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

  • January in Illinois Presented Wild Temperature Swings

    Feb 2, 2016 10:30 pm

    Illinois temperatures in January showed some very large swings in which the highs and lows tended to cancel each other out, with a monthly temperature of 26.7 degrees, or just 0.3 degrees above average, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • Midwest Experiences Warmest and Wettest December on Record

    Jan 6, 2016 10:30 pm

    In a year when many state records were broken, 2015 ended with historically warm temperatures and well above-normal precipitation, leading to the warmest and wettest December on record for the Midwest, according to the Midwestern Regional Climate Center (MRCC) at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS).

  • Record-Setting December Occurred in Illinois

    Jan 4, 2016 10:30 pm

    December was the warmest and second wettest for that month on record in Illinois, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • Fall Brings Near-Record Warmth to the Midwest

    Dec 8, 2015 2:15 pm

    Warm conditions blanketed the Midwest during the 2015 fall season (September-October-November), bringing near-record seasonal and monthly temperatures, according the Midwestern Regional Climate Center (http://mrcc.isws.illinois.edu/), Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS).

  • Warm and Damp November in Illinois

    Dec 1, 2015 2:15 pm

    Illinois experienced its third wettest and tenth warmest November on record, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • Model Stormwater Ordinance is Now Available for Communities

    Nov 23, 2015 2:15 pm

    Flooding in urban areas from stormwater runoff may be mitigated when state and local governments plan a coordinated effort to reduce their risk. The Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) offered their support to communities by developing a model ordinance that city and county officials can use when revising or drafting their own stormwater ordinances.

  • El Niño and the Midwest

    Nov 19, 2015 2:15 pm

    What effect could El Niño have on winter in the Midwest and the rest of the United States? Find out on the new El Niño webpage from the Midwestern Regional Climate Center (MRCC), located at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS). (http://mrcc.isws.illinois.edu/mw_climate/elNino/index.jsp)

  • October: Warm and Dry in Illinois

    Nov 2, 2015 2:30 pm

    October was warmer and drier than average in Illinois. The statewide average temperature was 55.8 degrees, 1.7 degrees above average, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • Increased Water Demand Threatens Deep Bedrock Aquifer Water Supplies in Northeastern Illinois

    Oct 12, 2015 2:30 pm

    Deep sandstone aquifers that feed water supplies to parts of Northeastern Illinois are at risk of becoming partially or completely depleted in the next 35 years, a new study at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) suggests.

  • September: The Ninth Warmest on Record for Illinois

    Oct 2, 2015 2:30 pm

    September 2015 was the ninth warmest September on record for Illinois, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois. The statewide average temperature was 70.2 degrees, 4 degrees above average.

  • Soil Moisture Rises the Second Week of September

    Sep 17, 2015 2:30 pm

    Soil moisture levels rose across Illinois the second week of September as the state saw increased rainfall and cooler soil temperatures, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program Manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

  • Little Change in Soil Moisture During the First Half of August

    Aug 18, 2015 2:30 pm

    Soil moisture levels in Illinois showed little overall change in the first half of August, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program Manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

  • Record Wet Conditions Continue for the Midwest

    Aug 4, 2015 2:30 pm

    Heavy rain continued to fall across the Midwest this July after Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio broke records for June precipitation. Seven of the nine states in the region recorded above normal precipitation for July, according to Bryan Peake, service climatologist at the Midwestern Regional Climate Center (http://mrcc.isws.illinois.edu/), Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS).

  • July: Cool and Wet for Illinois

    Aug 3, 2015 2:30 pm

    July was both cooler and wetter than average in Illinois, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • Record June Rain, Flooding Inundates Midwest

    Jul 2, 2015 2:45 pm

    Heavy rain and flooding highlighted a wild month of June across the central portions of the Midwest.  The wettest state was Illinois, where a precipitation record that has stood for over 100 years was broken, according to Bryan Peake, service climatologist at the Midwestern Regional Climate Center (http://mrcc.isws.illinois.edu), Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS).

  • A Rainy June Set a New Record for Illinois

    Jul 1, 2015 2:45 pm

    The statewide average precipitation for June 2015 in Illinois was 9.53 inches, or 5.33 inches above the average June precipitation. This was the wettest June on record for Illinois, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

     

  • Wet Soil Conditions Continue Throughout Illinois

    Jun 17, 2015 2:45 pm

    Soil conditions throughout Illinois remain wet as most of the state experienced higher than normal rainfall in the first two weeks of July, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program Manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

  • May Was Warm and Wet in Illinois

    Jun 1, 2015 2:45 pm

    Despite cool weather at times, May was 2.3 degrees above average on temperature and 1 inch above average on rainfall, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • Soil Moisture Levels Increased in Early May

    May 18, 2015 2:45 pm

    Soil moisture increased slightly throughout the state the first half of May, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program Manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

  • ISWS Provides Resources for Irrigation Reporting

    May 5, 2015 2:00 pm

    Starting this growing season, farm irrigators who use high capacity wells or intakes are required to report their water use.  The Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) has created a website to assist irrigators with this mandatory reporting process, according to Steve Wilson, ISWS groundwater hydrologist.

  • Above-Average Temperatures for April in Illinois

    May 4, 2015 2:00 pm

    Although April had a few cold stretches, the statewide average temperature for the month was 54.1 degrees, 1.7 degrees above average, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • Illinois Soil Temperatures were Warm in Mid-April

    Apr 16, 2015 3:00 pm

    Soil temperatures were slightly above the long-term average in the middle of April, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program Manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

  • Anniversary of First Hook Echo Tornado Captured on Radar

    Apr 9, 2015 3:00 pm

    Today is the 62nd anniversary of the first documented case of a tornado detected by radar. Illinois State Water Survey staff captured the historic event on film on April 9, 1953. This discovery helped lead to the first national weather radar network in the United States, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • Cold, Snowy March for Illinois

    Apr 2, 2015 3:00 pm

    The statewide average temperature for March was 38.2 degrees, 3.1 degrees below average, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • Illinois has Four Odd Tornado Seasons in a Row

    Mar 25, 2015 3:00 pm

    The 2015 tornado season thus far in Illinois and the rest of tornado alley is incredibly quiet. However, this quiet start is no reason to relax if the past few years are a guide, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel at the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • Soil Temperatures Increased in Illinois in the First Half of March

    Mar 17, 2015 3:15 pm

    Soil temperatures at 4 inches under bare soil have increased 49 percent during the first half of March, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program Manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

  • Seventh Coldest February on Record Wraps Up Winter in Illinois

    Mar 3, 2015 3:15 pm

    The statewide average temperature for February was 18.6 degrees, which is 12.3 degrees below the 1981-2010 average and the 7th coldest February on record. In comparison, February 2014 was the 9th coldest at 19.5 degrees, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • National Groundwater Awareness Week: March 8–14, 2015

    Feb 27, 2015 3:15 pm

    About half the U.S. population receives its drinking water from wells. Many cities in Illinois, including Champaign-Urbana, Normal, and most of the western and southern suburbs of Chicago, get some or all of their drinking water from groundwater sources. In addition, almost all rural residents use groundwater. During National Groundwater Awareness Week, we want to promote stewardship of this important resource, to protect and conserve it.

  • Soil Temperatures in Illinois Normal So Far This Winter

    Feb 20, 2015 3:15 pm

    Soil temperatures across the state have been near normal on average so far this winter, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.

  • January 2015 in Illinois: Cool and Dry

    Feb 2, 2015 3:15 pm

    January 2015 in Illinois was slightly cooler and drier than average. The statewide temperature was 25.4 degrees, 1 degree below average and the 53rd coldest on record, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • Science in support of the Forest Preserves of Cook County developing the Natural and Cultural Resources Master Plan

    Jan 12, 2015 10:15 am

  • 2014 Marks the 4th Coldest Year on Record for Illinois

    Jan 5, 2015 3:15 pm

    The statewide average temperature for 2014 was 49.4 degrees F, which is 2.9 degrees below average.  The year was tied with 1912 and 1979 for fourth place, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • Chance of a White Christmas in Illinois

    Dec 15, 2014 3:45 pm

    It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, but will it be white?  A white Christmas is defined as at least an inch of snow on the ground on Christmas Day. It should come as no surprise that the highest odds are in northern Illinois, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • Illinois was Cold and Dry in November

    Dec 1, 2014 3:45 pm

    November was much colder and drier than average. The statewide average temperature was 34.3 degrees, which is 8.2 degrees below average, and the fourth coldest November on record, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • October Was Wetter Than Average for Illinois

    Nov 4, 2014 3:45 pm

    The statewide average precipitation for October in Illinois was 4.5 inches, which is 1.2 inches above average, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • September Was Cool and Wet for Illinois

    Oct 7, 2014 3:45 pm

    September was 1.5 degrees cooler than average and 0.88 inches wetter than average for Illinois, according to Illinois State Climatologist Jim Angel, Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.

  • Soils Across Illinois Damp at the End of September

    Sep 23, 2014 3:45 pm

    Soils are damp across the state at the end of September, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois.